SAYING HELLO AND GOODBYE

A Greeting is a friendly way of opening a conversation There are many ways to say

HELLO

HI THERE HELLO THERE HEY, HOW ARE YOU DOING? HOWDY FRIEND? (USA) WHAT’S UP? HOW’S IT GOING? WOW, IT’S GOOD TO SEE YOU!

WE SOMETIMES USE A DOUBLE GREETING

HEY, THERE! HOW ARE YOU DOING?

‘HELLO’ HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?

IT’S GOOD TO SEE YOU, HOW’S LIFE TREATING YOU?

If you are meeting someone for the first time, you can say…

Good to meet you! It’s nice to meet you! I’m pleased to meet you! It’s a pleasure to meet you!

If you are meeting a person you have not seen or heard from for a long time, then you can show real surprise and shock.

‘Oh my God, it’s you !’ ‘Aahh, where have you been?’ ‘My godness, Long time no speek(see)’

‘Wow, it’s good to see you again’ ‘Is it really you? When did we last meet?’ ‘Wow, as I live and breath, it’s my best friend from school!’

IF YOU ARE IN A HURRY, THERE MAY ONLY BE A SHORT TIME IN WHICH TO MAKE YOUR GREETING.

‘HI, SORRY I CAN’T STOP’. ‘OH, HI THERE, I’M A BIT PUSHED FOR TIME… HERE’S MY PHONE NUMBER… …GIVE ME A CALL SOMETIME’.

‘HELLO THERE, LOOK I’M ON MY WAY TO WORK… …MAY BE CATCH UP WITH YOU AGAIN SOON’. ‘HEY, I’D LOVE TO STOP AND CHAT, BUT I REALLY HAVE TO DASH’.

We sometimes use the word ‘hello’ as a way of showing surprise or a sudden interest in something

‘Hello, what’s going on there?’ ‘Hello, I didn’t know he had a girlfriend’ ‘Hello, something wrong here? …he took my money’

In the UK, people often greet each other by talking about the weather.

‘ Hello, isn’t it a lovely day?’ ‘Hello, What about this terrible weather?’ ‘Hello, did you hear the storm last night?’

In many countries people talk about family

‘Hello, how’s the family?’ ‘Hello, How’s your wife doing?’ ‘Hello, how are the kids?’

The word ‘hello’ can also be used informally as a way of expressing sarcasm and annoyance.

‘Hello, did you understand what I said?’ ‘Hello’ was that too difficult for you to read?’ ‘Hello, didn’t you see me waving at you?’ ‘Hello, do you not recognize me?’ ‘Hello, what time do you call this? … you are late’

There are many ways to say goodbye: ‘bye’ ‘ta-ra’ ‘bye for now’ ‘see you again’ ‘see ya’ ‘Ta-ta for now’ ‘so long’ ‘catch you later’ ‘ciao’ ‘later’ ‘cheerio’ ‘see you around’ ‘Farewell’

Ta-ta for now !